Baseball Drops Big Ten Home OpenerBaseball Drops Big Ten Home Opener

Baseball Drops Big Ten Home Opener

XML Box Score Opens in a new window PDF Box Score Opens in a new window Watch Anderson & Sutter HR Opens in a new window Doubleheader Saturday at 1pm Opens in a new window
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Michigan reeled off 10 unanswered runs while scoring in four consecutive innings, handing Purdue Baseball its first one-side defeat of the season 13-3 in the Big Ten home opener Friday at Alexander Field.

The series will conclude Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader, moving Sunday's game up one day due to rain in the forecast for Sunday. The teams will also start an hour earlier than Saturday's original 2 p.m. start time for the middle game of the series.

Brandon Anderson and Logan Sutter both connected for a solo home run, but the Boilermakers (18-3, 2-2 Big Ten) had just one additional hit. Anderson went deep in the first inning for the second Friday in a row. Sutter hit his team-leading seventh long ball of the season to lead off the bottom of the fourth.

However, the Wolverines (12-9, 4-3 Big Ten) had already opened up a 10-1 lead when Sutter went deep. The first five U-M batters reached base safely to begin a four-run third inning. Michigan batted around the following frame, connecting for three extra-base hits in a six-run rally. Matt Spear's two-out, three-run homer to right-center field was the big blow. He was the seventh of eight consecutive U-M hitters to put together a productive plate appearance after the Boilers retired the leadoff man.

Purdue starter Carter Doorn (4-1) posted a pair of zeros over the first two frames and entered the top of the third riding a streak of 22 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. But a leadoff walk to the 9-hole hitter on a full-count pitch ultimately set the stage for a rough stretch on Doorn's second time through the Michigan lineup.

All three relivers that took the mound for the Boilermakers gave up a home run and it wasn't until Chris Gallagher worked a 1-2-3 frame in the top of the seventh that Purdue enjoyed another clean inning. Gallagher worked 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball in his Alexander debut on a day when the Boilermakers needed a pitcher to provide some length in relief.

STREAKS EXTENDED
Albert Choi: 21-game on-base (as a Boilermaker)
Brandon Anderson: 20-game on-base

STREAKS THAT CAME TO AN END
Carter Doorn: 22 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run
Lukas Cook: 10-game hit
Brandon Rogers: 7-game on-base, 6-game hit

Houston Russell was robbed of a likely double on a leaping catch at the wall by U-M left fielder Colby Turner in the second inning. Purdue led 1-0 at the time and Keenan Spence had just singled to open the frame, which ended moments later on the first of two 5-4-3 double plays turned by the Wolverines.

Shortstop Lukas Cook made a pair of fine plays deep in the hole over the final twos innings. Russell also threw out a base stealer at second base.

Saturday's doubleheader will be Purdue's first in Big Ten play since April 15, 2023, vs. Penn State. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET.